Monday, October 31, 2011

Hope everyone is having a great day! I know we're having pretty lousy weather down here; it's been pouring nonstop ALL day long, but we're not about to let a little (or a lot...) of rain ruin our fun :D

For those of you who are going out and about tonight, whether it be for trick-or-treating or just for whatever, remember to be safe. And of course, have fun!

Sunday, October 30, 2011

Eighteen-year-old maid Tess Davies is determined to escape the wealthy, troubled family she serves. It’s 1912, and Tess has been trapped in the employ of the Lisles for years, amid painful memories and twisted secrets. But now the Lisle family is headed to America, with Tess in tow. Once the ship they’re sailing on—the RMS Titanic—reaches its destination, Tess plans to strike out and create a new life for herself.

Her single-minded focus shatters when she meets Alec, a handsome first-class passenger who captivates her instantly. But Alec has secrets of his own. He’s in a hurry to leave Europe, and whispers aboard the ship say it’s because of the tragic end of his last affair with the French actress who died so gruesomely and so mysteriously. . . .

Soon Tess will learn just how dark Alec’s past truly is. The danger they face is no ordinary enemy: werewolves exist and are stalking him—and now her, too. Her growing love for Alec will put Tess in mortal peril, and fate will do the same before their journey on the Titanic is over.

In Fateful, New York Times bestselling author Claudia Gray delivers paranormal adventure, dark suspense, and alluring romance set against the opulent backdrop of the Titanic’s first—and last—voyage.

Really looking forward to reading this book! Here's why:

The cover itself is AMAZING! However, like they say, don't judge a book by its cover

I've been hearing such great reviews from my fellow GoodReaders (if that's a word xP)

I'm a huge fan of Claudia Gray. Her Evernight series is one of my all time favorite series, so naturally I have to read everything else she writes :D

So I hope to finish this book sometime soon and have a review up for you all to read. But in the mean time, check out the trailer for the book:

Friday, October 28, 2011

Half Summer faery princess, half human, Meghan has never fit in anywhere. Deserted by the Winter prince she thought loved her, she is prisoner to the Winter faery queen. As war looms between Summer and Winter, Meghan knows that the real danger comes from the Iron fey—ironbound faeries that only she and her absent prince have seen. But no one believes her.Worse, Meghan's own fey powers have been cut off. She's stuck in Faery with only her wits for help. Trusting anyone would be foolish. Trusting a seeming traitor could be deadly. But even as she grows a backbone of iron, Meghan can't help but hear the whispers of longing in her all-too-human heart.

After reading the first book of this series, I just could not wait to pick up the next one. Because of this, I had high expectations for this book, and for teh most part, my expectations were met.

The book takes place right where the first one left off; with Meghan being prisoner to the Winter Court and Queen Mab. I have to say that I love all the characters of this series. They are all so amazing and realistic that it's hard to hate any of them. However, Meghan's obsession with Ash in this book didbegin to get on my nerves. I mean, I get it, she loves him and its a forbidden love and all (when is it never not?), but seriously, stop the whining. I was having New Moon flashbacks from when Edward left and Bella *shudders*; how Bella would wake up screaming in the night like she was being ripped apart. Everytime I read/watch New Moon I want to slap her silly. But any who, speaking of Ash, (now that I got off subject :D) I grew to kind of like him in this book. Honestly, it's hard to choose between Ash and Puck, so I see Meghan's dilemma, but I'm more on Puck's side. I tend to always root for the underdog/best friend, plus he's so sweet and funny. So if Meghan ends up with Ash, she can most definitely send Puck my way ;)

I think Meghan grows as a character in this book. She starts figuring out more about herself and becomes more confident and strong. She becomes a heroine you want to look up to, which makes me love her even more. It's much better to have a strong, female lead then a weak, whiny one who can't do anything herself.

It bugged me however when she...alright, well can't say anything without it being a spoiler, but for those of you who have already read the book, then you know what I'm talking about. The little scene between Meghan and Puck...I was all, 'Awwwwwww! :3 But then she had to go obsess over Ash again and I was all, Grr! Make up your mind already! I mean like seriously, she's got a perfectly good guy in front of her who is totally in love with her, but she's thinking about the one that keeps trying to kill her. :/

Ironhorse is a major role in this book. At first it annoyed me how he always talked LIKE THIS, IN ALL CAPS. It felt like he was yelling at me throughout the whole book. But after a while, I got used to it and it didn't bother me as much :) I was sad that Grim wasn't in this book as much as the last one. He is probably one of my favorite characters.

One of the things I really love about this book, and the rest of the series, is how it's written. Kagawa uses such extravagant descriptions that I feel like I'm being sucked into the world of the NeverNever. There are few books I have read that have made me feel like I'm there with the characters, so that's a major plus for Kagawa! The story itself was unique and imaginative; very enjoyable. It's full of action, but also has the love triangles we all seem to love so much.

So, if you're reading this review and you haven't read this series yet, read it NOW! It's really amazing, and surprisingly, it does live up to all the hype its been receiving. The end has left me with a thousand questions and thoughts. I was actually screaming, I can't believe this!...(in my head of course), during the last few pages. Looking forward to Iron Queen!

Friday, October 21, 2011

Alright, So I used to be greatly against e-readers because I prefer to have an actual book in my hands. But as the economy worsened and my precious Borders closed down *sniffle* I decided maybe an e-reader would be more convient in the long run. Plus, I'm going off to college next year so if I buy anymore books there won't be any room for me in a dorm and I also like all of the apps and Wi-Fi capability.

So for my 18th birthday (Nov. 29th, woot!), my parents decided to get me the new Kindle Fire (Nov. 15 release). I think it looks amazing, but I'm worried that it will strain my eyes really bad because it's not using E-Ink, it's using Vibrant Color LCD. So my question for all you out there is should I be worried about this? I am always on my laptop so I'm used to the bright screen and it doesn't really bother me, but I just want to see what other people have to say. So post your comments below & also check out the comparison of all the Kindle's from the Amazon website :)

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Something has always felt slightly off in Meghan's life, ever since her father disappeared before her eyes when she was six. She has never quite fit in at school or at home. When a dark stranger begins watching her from afar, and her prankster best friend becomes strangely protective of her, Meghan senses that everything she's known is about to change. But she could never have guessed the truth - that she is the daughter of a mythical faery king and is a pawn in a deadly war. Now Meghan will learn just how far she'll go to save someone she cares about, to stop a mysterious evil no faery creature dare face; and to find love with a young prince who might rather see her dead than let her touch his icy heart

So, I had bought this book, along with the second, long ago and didn't pick it up until a few days ago. I had been dying to read it, but always got distracted by other books. But after seeing all the hype about how amazing it was, and wanting to join in on the Team Puck or Team Ash debate, I finally picked it up. And I have to say, I wasn't disappointed.

I have to admit at first, I was a little indifferent. I wasn't bored necessarily, but I didn't really get into the book until after Meghan got into the Nevernever. After that, I was hooked. I enjoyed how they incorporated Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream into the story. While it has been sort of used before, I was okay with it because that is the only play by Shakespeare I've read so far that I actually liked, probably because of the faeries. I'm a big fan of "Fae". And even though most stories all revolve around the same subjects, such as a Summer & Winter Court who are always head butting against one another, I do believe that the author did a good job making the story her own.

Meghan Chase is a 16 year old girl whose younger half brother had been kidnapped by evil fey, and replaced by a changeling. Meghan, with her best friend Robbie (who turns out to be Robin Goodfellow AKA Puck fromMidsummer Night's Dream), travel to the Nevernever to rescue her brother. However, things are not as easy as Meghan would have liked them to be. The Nevernever is full of orges, giants, goblins, sirens, faeries, etc. Not exactly an ideal travel location if you ask me.

Along they encounter many who wished to do harm to Meghan, who was pretty defenseless without Puck. Which kind of bothered me. I mean, if I were in her shoes, I'd probably been even worse, but this isn't reality, and when I read, I kind of want to read about a heroine who can stand up for herself. But don't get me wrong, she's not a bad character at all. I like her and believe that as the books go on and she learns more about who she is, she'll become more independent.

But let's get on to the guys: Puck and Ash. So Puck is the best guy friend who has always been there for Meghan, no matter what. He's always very witty and charming. Ash, or should I say Prince Ash, is...not very nice. He's the cold, dark, mysterious guy that must girls instantly fall for, so some odd reason, so it's no surprise Meghan was one of those girls. He does, however, have his moments and you get to see that softer side that he keeps hidden from the rest of the world. When it comes to picking a team, well I'm not sure. I'm sort of on the fence, not sure who I like better. Personally, I'm leaning towards Puck. I always feel bad for the best friend whose secretly in love but the other person is too stupid *cough*Meghan*cough*, to see what's right in front of them.

I just have to add, that Grimalkin has to be one of my favorite characters. Maybe because he's a cat, and I just so happen to love cats, but he's funny; annoying, but amusing. I kind of see him as the Cheshire Cat from Alice In Wonderland.

So overall, I really enjoyed this book. I think it's a great start to a potentially great series and am starting the 2nd book right this minute! So if you haven't already read it, you should :)